Rejected petition Hold a referendum on legalisation of cannabis for a) recreation b) medical use

Hold a legally binding referendum on legalisation of cannabis/by-products for medical & recreational use. Build a regulated & legal market. The war on drugs is ineffective, expensive & racially biased. Legalisation offers the opportunity for large tax revenue, ensure safe consumption, & creates jobs

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People of colour are x12 more likely to be arrested for cannabis offenses compared to others. Decriminalisation would remove racial bias. Underfunded police can reallocate time to more important issues. Legalisation is already favoured in public opinion. YouGov 2021. Covid caused financial damage, cannabis offers large tax revenue, like alcohol and cigarettes suggesting we could raise £1bn annually. Jobs would be created, demand for benefits would fall & payroll taxes would increase.

This petition was rejected

Why was this petition rejected?

There’s already a petition about this issue. We cannot accept a new petition when we already have one about a very similar issue.

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You may wish to sign this petition calling for a similar action:

Allow the public to vote on the legalisation of cannabis
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/580806

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